bile salt deconjugation ? - usmle19s

[ArchivalUser]

can some one explain this please

[ArchivalUser]

Conjugation - adding glycine or taurine to (oxidized) cholesterol makes Cholic or Chendeoxycholic Acid, primary bile salts/acids.

This gives cholesterol a polar head, allows it to form micelles with hydrophobic cores and hydrophillic shells, which allow the emulsification of FFA, cholesterol, and fat soluble vitamins which is necessary for intestinal absorption.

deconjugation is a bacterial process in the intestine that removes the glycine or taurine, (removes the polar group) , this will make the bile salts, non-polar and unable to form micelles.

[ArchivalUser]

thank you very much jakehayer :-)